NATO and Romanian forces recently conducted a two-week exercise at the Capu Midia training range in Romania, focusing on counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology designed to intercept hostile drones. The drill, held from April 14 to April 24, was part of the LCI-X Crucible Eastern Phoenix 2026 exercise and was coordinated by Romania’s Defense Ministry in collaboration with NATO’s Allied Command Transformation.

With ongoing drone attacks by Russian forces in Ukraine underscoring the need for advanced aerial defenses, the exercise brought together over 400 troops and defense industry representatives to evaluate various C-UAS systems aimed at countering unmanned threats from the sea. Among the technologies tested were two Israeli-designed solutions demonstrated by their developers.

Sentrycs, accompanied by its local partner STARC4SYS, showcased a cyber-over-radio-frequency (RF) system capable of passively detecting, tracking, and identifying unauthorized drones without employing jamming or kinetic force. This system enables operators to safely assume control of hostile drones and guide them to designated landing zones. The technology is engineered to maintain secure operations in dense environments while preserving uninterrupted communications and avoiding interference with authorized systems.

Additionally, Romanian defense firm Optoelectronica displayed its Sky Dome system, developed in partnership with Israeli company Skylock Systems, which specializes in drone detection and neutralization. Sky Dome integrates multiple sensors—including laser range finders, electro-optical and infrared cameras, radar, and acoustic sensors—into a unified operational picture. Equipped with artificial intelligence-driven analytics and real-time mitigation capabilities, the system offers multilayer threat detection and response.

Autonomous Guard, the parent company of Skylock Systems and another Israeli entity specializing in drone and border threat detection, played a key role. Roy Riffin, CEO of Autonomous Guard, described the exercise as a “combination of a drill and demo” involving 30 companies worldwide, primarily supporting European Union NATO forces. Notably, none of Israel’s largest defense contractors participated in the event.

Riffin highlighted that the central operational challenge addressed was the growing threat posed by drones. The drill featured waves of up to 150 drones of varying classes launched intermittently to test detection and neutralization capabilities through both hard-kill and soft-kill methods. The exercise also included simulated swarm attacks, reflecting evolving drone tactics in modern conflict zones.